The World Cup is not the only thing that has stirred up emotions this summer. A fierce competition for the name of the new street in Browary Warszawskie, which has been initiated by Echo Investment, will last until June 29th. Enthusiasts of the Sfinksów Warszawskich street clash with the Wolska Krachla lovers and the supporters of Haberbusch and Schiele at the twojaulica.pl website. A vote of each inhabitant of Warsaw counts and the results will be published at the beginning of July. However, in order not to vote ‘blindly’, the Museum of Warsaw – the patron of the campaign and the co-creator of the proposed names – explains their origins.

A new street in the heart of Warsaw is an event that does not occur often. It is a real treat not only for the Varsavianists but also for all residents of the capital city. The route will become an important part of Browary Warszawskie, a microdistrict developed by Echo Investment. The road will start at the Brewery Gate, or Grzybowska Street, and it will connect the office part and the residential part of the new quarter with each other. It will join Krochmalna street in the residential part. It is clear what the new street will look like and it is clear which way it will run. The name issue will be settled with the involvement of Warsaw residents. The first step of the organizers was to ask the Museum of Warsaw for help. The idea was that the new name should not only sound good but it should also harmonize with the identity and history of the unique place that Browary Warszawskie used to be and will soon become. "We are happy that the residents of Warsaw were so eager to get involved in our opinion poll. Each of us has their favourite which they faithfully support in this competition. We are curious to see what name the voters go for. Surprisingly, there is a close fight between two of the names. We do not want to suggest anything of course but we encourage you to visit www.twojaulica.pl and cast your vote. In order to get to know the real winner, we are extending the campaign for another week, therefore the votes can be cast by June 29th", says Rafał Mazurczak, Board Member of Echo Investment. The three proposals worked out in cooperation with the Museum of Warsaw are: "Haberbusch and Schiele", "Sfinksów Warszawskich" and "Wolskiej Krachli". Residents of Warsaw can choose one of the three names in the opinion poll at the www.twojaulica.pl website. You need to hurry – the voting only lasts until June 29th – before making a decision it is worth finding out what the museum's curators have to say about each of the proposals. Proposal 1. Sfinksów Warszawskich street It is not entirely clear why this ancient creature has become a symbol of Warsaw beer. However, experts from the Museum of Warsaw suggest that oriental themes and ornaments inspired by the exotic were popular in architecture in the nineteenth century, so it is possible that the idea was born on the wave of this trend. The family of former brewery owners does not rule out that two cast-iron Sphinx statues at the gates of the old breweries were made to symbolically protect the most precious thing in brewing i.e. the original recipe. The sculptures have a feminine structure of the front part of the body and they were cast in one mould. They are currently an exhibit at the Museum of Wola. The answer to the question whether the sculptures were an inspiration for placing the sphinx symbol on the beer label or the other way round is also a mystery for the researches of the history of the capital city. Warsaw sphinxes apparently must have their secrets, like Egyptian ones. Proposal 2. Wolskiej Krachli street An unusual exhibit can be spotted at the "Warsaw Things" exhibition which is currently open at the Museum of Warsaw. This is almost a century old bottle made at the Przyszłość glassworks in Tłuszcz for the United Warsaw Brewery Haberbusch and Schiele [Zjednoczone Browary Warszawskie Haberbusch i Schiele]. The brewery operated under this name in the interwar period. Inside you can find the last sip of the drink produced in the bottle. The fact that it did not evaporate during all these years proves how effective the flip-top was. A stopper mounted to the bottle neck with metal handles was introduced to Browary Warszawskie in 1920s. It was made of porcelain, which provided the bottle with some style. The mystery of what the drink inside is – beer or lemonade – could soon be clarified because experts from the Museum of Warsaw want to analyze the contents of the bottle. The shape and colour of the glass bottle suggest a non-alcoholic beverage but only specialist tests will provide certainty. Proposal 3. Haberbusch and Schiele street It is a fact that the creators of the brewery in Warsaw – Błażej Haberbusch and Konstanty Schiele – do not have their own street in Warsaw so far. It is also a fact that they deserve their street like few others. Both gentlemen (and their descendants) provided residents of Warsaw with jobs, good earnings and a regional product that became a source of pride for the city and an important element of its identity. In the era of discussions about "jars" [słoiki – people who moved to Warsaw from other parts of Poland] and immigrants, it is worth remembering that the founders of the brewery on Grzybowska street came from German families, who quickly became simply Warsaw ones. This proves that multiculturalism functioned in this city a long time ago. It is worth thinking well and hard about the choice because everyone can only cast one vote. The poll will last until June 29th and its results will be announced at the beginning of July. Browary Warszawskie is an area between Grzybowska, Wronia, Chłodna and Krochmalna streets, which will be reintroduced to the urban fabric by Echo Investment. A new, open quarter created by residential buildings, office buildings and public squares, rest and recreation places, cafes, restaurants and shops is being developed. This is a place with a beautiful history but above all a modern, functional and comprehensive urban and architectural concept. There will be four office buildings, five residential buildings, more than 8,000 sqm for services, restaurants, shops, well-arranged public spaces with city squares, small streets and a comfortable space full of greenery. The undoubted advantages of this place also include the proximity of the centre of Warsaw, the metro station and the availability of developed public transport. www.bw-echo.com.pl